Diabetes In Relation to Hospitalized COVID-19 Patents At Assiut University Hospital

Outcomes of Diabetes In Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients At Assiut University Hospital

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a global pandemic affecting the whole world and taking the lives of millions. The majority of fatalities occur in the elderly specially in the presence of chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and cancer.

Knowing about the family of coronaviruses is that they are the cause of a variety of well-known diseases affecting humans, ranging from common cold to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Acute Severe Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and now the COVID-19 as a new problematic family member.

Regarding DM as a knowing old health problem, it has been found that we can use it in predicting the prognosis of the COVID-19 as admission to intensive care unit, invasive ventilation or even death.

Previous studies confirmed that uncontrolled DM can badly affects innate immunity which considered as the first line of defence mechanism against COVID-19 infection.

In addition, DM has a pro-inflammatory effect through exaggeration of cytokine response which appears clearly through higher results of serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein and ferritin, this suggests that people with DM are more venerable to cytokine storm which leads to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), shock and rapid deterioration of the case.

On the other hand, on looking to previous studies and data collected about the prior SARS outbreak in 2003, which suggested that COVID-19 can lead to worsening of glycemic control in known diabetic patients and above that caused by the stressful nature of a critical illness.

In addition, COVID-19 can lead to increasing insulin resistance specially in patients with type II DM. Also, the medications used in the management of COVID-19 having an indirect role on worsening of blood sugar levels also should be taken in our consideration, Corticosteroids as an example, used in the management of patients having ARDS or sepsis can lead to changes in their glycemic profile.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Cases aged 18 years and over.
• Cases diagnosed as COVID-19 positive.
• Cases admitted to Assiut University Hospitals.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age less than 18 years.
• Outpatient management (even in confirmed cases of COVID-19).